Definition of Negligible
by Kouralia
Summary: Shepard tries to establish a mutually understood holiday about honouring soldiers to Garrus. And then Mordin hijacks the conversation to talk about Flanders Fields. Because critical analysis is just like science, apparently. Fill for Masseffectkink.


"Ah. Remembrance Day. 'In Flanders Fields', excellent human poem."

Shepard raised a single eyebrow. " Mordin, I know you sang Gilbert and Sullivan, but I didn't think you knew that much about human culture. There isn't exactly much overlap."

"Of course, only heard in passing. Was on search for classics, universally recognized songs. Very useful in science eduction." Shepard was not about to ask about that. It was common enough to use well known melodies to teach children, but the thought of Mordin in charge of a class of children sounded... problematic. Problematic to the point where traumatized children would be the least of their worries.

"But Mordin, that poem doesn't generally have a song attached to it."

"Precisely why I dropped it. Still, very powerful, evocative. Though, last verse rather patriotic. Glorifies death, pushes duty." Mordin drew in a breath. "Understandable, given author and time period."

"What, you mean the 'take up our quarrel with the foe', and the 'if ye break faith' bit?" Shepard struggled to bring the poem to her head. She knew the whole thing, but it had been years since she'd last thought about it in more than passing.

Mordin nodded. "Yes. 'Take up our quarrel', obvious. 'To you from failing hands we throw, the torch'. Clearly, represents duty, spirit to continue fighting. 'Be yours, to hold it high', reinforces statement, targets reader. Then, breaking faith, 'We shall not sleep'. Adds guilt, judgement from dead, feelings of expectation." Mordin paused. "end with 'though poppies grow, in Flanders Fields'. Classic choice, reconnects beginning, brings clear imagery to otherwise abstract verse. Still, somewhat manipulative."

"Manipulative?" Garrus piped up, glancing between the two. "Isn't encouraging duty a good thing? It doesn't seem any different from the normal pressures to fight."

Shepard thought for a moment. He had a good point. Before she could come up with something, Mordin answered. "Different circumstances. Was written during major Earth war. Recent technological leaps, counter strategies lacking. Often led to throwing soldiers at problem, wasteful deaths. Of course, no art perfect, always shaped by greater context. No perfect person. No perfect art."

Shepard tried not to be annoyed of the fact that a Salarian might know more about the origins of a human holiday than her. Even if that Salarian was Mordin. Garrus was nodding slowly, mulling over the explanation. " What does the poem have to do with the holiday? Turians have a similar celebration for honouring soldiers, but we generally recite famous speeches instead."

"That's because the holiday was created around the same time as the poem, they were both about the same war." Shepard cut in. "It's called the first World War, since so many countries were involved. The poem references a specific battle, I think. Since it got so popular, it became a part of tradition to recite the poem, and everyone associates poppies with Remembrance day. Well, some countries name the holiday differently, but it's all the same idea."

"My translator is giving me 'small red flower'. I get that it's related from the poem, but why did the poem mention them? I'm guessing because humans bleed red?" Garrus typed a search query into his omnitool, coming up with a diagram of the flower.

"You're close. It's because the ground would get torn up after a battle, and poppies were one of the few things that could actually grow there. They'd end up covering the battlefields just days after a fight."

Mordin coughed. "Human blood colouring useful, also. Good for metaphors. Secondary reason, perhaps." He cleared his throat, beginning again in a slower, more somber tone. "In Flanders Fields the poppies blow, between the crosses, row on row, that mark our place while in the sky, the larks still bravely singing fly, scarce heard amid the guns below." Mordin paused for a moment, as if to let the verse sink in. "Crosses used to mark burials. Often coloured white. First verse, already creates image of innocence, sacrifice, sea of blood."

"You know a lot about this for someone who apparently dropped it." Shepard wasn't really accusing anything, but she was curious. She hadn't really thought that much into the poem- it was just something that was there, and always had been. It was strange to think about it like that.

"Yes, simply making base observations. Have not gone in-depth with analysis. Would require deeper knowledge of human culture. Interesting topic, but, as I said, personal interest in art negligible."

Well, Shepard apparently had a very different definition of negligible, and by Garrus' quiet snort, he did as well. Still, at least Mordin didn't claim to know everything. "Well, in that case, maybe I'll try to explain a more complicated holiday. I don't think I've seen any alien versions of Halloween..."


End file.
